The Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all teach the importance of the heart in the physical and spiritual realms. This presentation will review the physiological and spiritual aspects of the heart as it relates to isolation vs. solitude, near-death experiences, and the Islamic Sufism’s approach in redefining illness, suffering, and death. The presenters come from various professional backgrounds including medicine, mental health, and research. In this presentation, we will discuss the heart including its embryology and neural system. There are afferent neuronal ganglions present and initiating from the heart that communicate with and cascade up to higher centers of the brain, where they may influence perception, decision making, and other cognitive processes. It is the premise of this presentation that the heart is equipped and should be in charge of the functioning of the individual human, rather than the brain. Sufi practices such as heart-centered meditation, referred to as Tamarkoz®, and prayer rely on the power of the heart, which has a very important significance and is the turning point in the body, where Existence takes on physical form. The Source of Life resides in the heart and transforms the energy of life into physical form and has an immense healing power. This is where the reality of “I” resides.

The importance of the heart further manifests itself in the psychological well being of the individual. There is mounting evidence of isolation leading to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Often times isolation may result as a natural reaction to harsh external forces experienced by the individual in the society. Arguably resorting to loneliness is a cry for help by individuals who have been unable to cope with the societal burdens. They soon find themselves in deep despair, feeling abandoned by the society and unable to cope with life’s physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. Generally, “isolation” is referred to the state of loneliness that is forced upon an individual. In contrast, “solitude” is referred to the state of being alone by choice and separating one’s self from others; it is self-initiated by the individual and deemed desirable. The latter has shown to be beneficial as it promotes creativity and holistic well-being. The paramount importance of solitude can be revealed from an entirely different perspective through the teachings of Sufism, i.e., an educational system that facilitates the journey of self-knowledge. The Great Sufi Master, Professor Mohammad Angha, in the 20th century, defines solitude as a separation “to restrict oneself from unnecessary actions”, which fundamentally does not require one to abandon the society. He further expands on the notion of healthy social presence as “being amongst people but not partaking of their bad habits”. He contrasts the notion of being alone vs. being gathered as an internal process that promotes physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual balance.

The effects of two states of being alone while gathered in the sanctuary of the heart or “solitude” versus being “isolated” while dispersed in numerous thoughts and their effect on health and healing will be discussed. Solitude can be understood as the inner stability within the heart irrespective of one’s physical, environmental, or societal relations that enable the individual to free him or herself from all limitations, boundaries, and attachments imposed by the society without the need to isolate oneself from others or to abandon the society. This inner stability manifests a state of calmness, serenity, and certitude such that the individual’s thoughts and actions will depend on inner knowledge “alone”. This knowledge is in tune with one’s innate nature that is not swayed by any external factors such as constant pressures due to social interactions and trends.

In the second part of this presentation, we will review the theoretical foundation of Sufism as taught in Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi (M.T.O.) Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism®, founded upon a 1400 years old tradition, that teaches the necessary steps for attaining solitude through the heart, a crucial component for attaining holistic well-being. Physiologically, the first fetal heartbeat (three weeks after fertilization) marks the beginning of continuous nourishment of the body by the heart while the final heartbeat announces the physical death of the body. We shift our focus to the final moments before the heart ceases to beat, in which the purpose is to help individuals change their perception and therefore their understanding of physical suffering and death in a holistic approach. As we re-evaluate our perception and view on suffering and death, our experience will change and our paradigm will shift. Inevitably, everyone is affected by unfortunate circumstances in this world one way or another such as natural disasters, severe illnesses, losing loved ones, and financial stress, to name a few. However, we observe that two people who have similar life experiences may cope with them very differently. So, what makes a difference in the way we confront physical suffering? Does our perception of life and the meaning we give to life’s experiences make a difference in our experience, understanding, and the impact it has on the quality of our lives? How do people transform their viewpoint in presence of suffering? To answer these questions, we will present our extensive research on electromagnetic aftereffects of near-death experiences and the paradigm shift for those who have encountered this phenomenon. Furthermore, we will discuss death from the perspective of Islamic Sufism and the changes individuals experience in their view of life, suffering, and death.

During this presentation, participants will gain awareness of the physiological characteristics and spiritual significance of the heart; the distinction between isolation and solitude as defined by Islamic Sufism and its effect on health; near-death experiences and its aftereffects including electromagnetic aftereffects; as well as reframing illness, human suffering, and death as defined by Islamic Sufism.